Gardens

NORTHVILLIANS,

Over the past few weeks, we have celebrated The Fourth of July Activities which were wild and exciting in the Ville, swimming getaways around Northville and local summer concerts through the years. This week, we will continue the summer theme by talking about garden activities. Very appropriately, the Northville Garden Walk sponsored by the Country Garden Club of Northville, is being held 7/10. And notably, the Beautification Commission’s annual awards are just about ready to be delivered, too.

FYI – Garden Club activities have been part of our DNA since our beginnings, and this week we will explore some of these past events.

Let’s take a look at historic Garden Clubs and Beautification Commission efforts in town…

I grew up in one of Northville’s first Better Homes & Gardens houses, which was the old Eaton home in Orchard Heights. I’m still on that street today, with the largest tree in the City right in front. When young, I would plant close to 500 dahlias yearly for my folks, along with keeping up the fruit trees and the vegetable gardens around their home.

Northville Garden Club

1936 – The Northville Garden Club branch of the Michigan National Farm & Garden Association first met in town in 1936 at the New School Church (in Mill Race Village today).

• The Northville branch was sponsored by the National President who spent a great deal of time in Northville. Her name was Mrs. Henry Ford (Clara Bryant). The National Women’s Farm & Garden Club originated in 1914. In the 1880’s, Henry and Clara spent their honeymoon here and later brought their friends to town including the Vagabonds group (Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, & John Burroughs), to show off our gardens.
• In 1998, the branch name was changed to Northville Garden Club. They are approaching their 90^th anniversary in 2026. 

Country Garden Club of Northville

• The Northville Country Garden branch of the Woman’s National Farm & Garden Association was established in 1977.
• Their members maintain beautiful gardens in many public spaces. 

Beautification Commission

• The Northville Beautification Commission was established in 1967, and they are gearing up to present their 2024 Beautification Awards (look for signs around town soon).
• The Commission encourages the planting and preservation of trees, flowers, and shrubbery to improve the appearance of Northville.

Our Trees Are Part of our Beauty, Too …

Behind City Hall is a heritage Elm that is being carved with history markers representing the journey Northville has seen … stop by and take a look (Wing and Cady).

Northville Tree Champions Are Hard at Work:

• Northville Tree Champions (NTC) is a non-profit, citizen-led advocacy organization that promotes tree appreciation, protection, preservation, and new tree planting (40+ members). Thanks in part to their efforts, the City of Northville is a Tree City USA.
• The team sponsors the Majestic Tree Tour.  This online walking guide shows you where to take a stroll around Northville to discover some of the towering giants that make our community special. You can also download the mobile app (see link above) to take this self-guided tour on your GPS-enabled mobile device. https://www.facebook.com/NorthvilleTreeChampions

You can see with our topography of hills, water and greenspaces, we have a deep appreciation for our natural surroundings. The flowers, vegetation, and sustainability of this community over the years has been a high priority. Our Garden Club groups, along with our Beautification Commission have long played a big part in supporting Northville’s natural splendor. 

As our Bicentennial approaches, let’s keep our community engaged in beautification activities for both today and for the tomorrows to come. Again, I highly encourage you to help preserve and protect this gardening legacy.

Keep that “Hamlet in the Hills” & “Switzerland of the County” Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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